Thank You, Tensa Zangetsu
by KurosakiLove
Summary: Strongly inspired, but weakly based on actual facts from Decide 19 and 20. One-shot/IchiRuki/Rated M- Lemon/Rukia's POV/OOC


Thank You, Tensa Zangetsu

Study break again. I'm sick of school already. Inspired by the re-obsession of a current obsession of Ichigo, in the two latest chapters in the manga. HANDSOME AS HELL. Good thing I already aimed him towards longer hair in SMD :D WOO!

(Two) spoilers: how he looks, plus his robes' look, etc. and why he is now the way is he in Decide 19/20. I do not know enough to make any of it true according to Bleach. It's just a story I popped out of my mind.

I don't know if he defeats Aizen (really? C'mon... we know in our hearts he will :P) and I don't know if Gin lives or dies. I just HAD to do something on how he looks! x]

This was about 3 hours, 16 pages, 6,697 words without ANs. Coolness.

[Strawberry Meets Death update: it is **not** discontinued! Updates resume in December. I don't have time and effort to put into the chapters. It deserves more than me half-assing it more than I already do. Thanks for your patience!]

[Of Fries and Napkins: didn't expect it to do well with so many errors- thank you so much! I'll try to eventually respond to reviews.]

**Disclaimer: I do not own the original plot or characters of Bleach. I did, however, come up with the storyline to this story.

* * *

**

_This story in Rukia's point of view.

* * *

_

The house was quiet still, two days since the saving of Karakura Town… two days since Ichigo defeated Aizen.

I remember standing there, beside Nii-sama; a Senkai Gate opened before us, a single Hell Butterfly fluttering past the pure light emitted from within.

It danced with the breeze playing with my hair, circling me, my violet eyes following before it disappeared from sight. My eyes moved back to the light as a tall shadow moved through, bright, orange hair accompanied by Ichigo's handsome face revealed-

He was alive.

I inhaled painfully and silently as his eyes found me, a sudden rush of emotions surging through my whole being; I tried to breathe, but found it difficult.

He was different.

* * *

I met Ichigo when he was only fifteen years old, weeks from his sixteenth; with his boyish spikes and growing structure, it was hard to believe he could hold so much power… much less be our savior.

He quickly grew in strength the first two months we spent together, teaching and learning from each other.

When I was taken from him, I left with the image of a young, reckless boy, defeated on the ground, tears in his amber eyes, his boyish spikes matted and wet from the rain….

I felt this same feeling, this feeling I have now as he's looking at me silently, when I was awaiting my death as I hung up high upon the Sōkyoku; when I opened my eyes, looking up and finding Ichigo between my reaper and myself… I couldn't breathe.

He had a smooth jaw and facial structure, seemingly taller; his boyish spikes grown out to just barely tease the brows of his handsome eyes, bandages around his arms and torso, a strong arm effortlessly holding back the Sōkyoku with a zanpaktou unfamiliar to me.

His reiatsu was decades stronger from when I last saw him, in just a matter of days….

Ichigo had grown into a young man in my heart….

* * *

And now, he has grown again.

"Rukia…." I struggled to believe the small lift in his eyes when he softly called my name, two Hell Butterflies appearing behind him, Matsumoto passing through with Gin supported against her.

Her blue eyes rested on Ichigo before looking over his shoulder to find me, a small smile pulling at her lips.

I hadn't been sure what she had meant with that smile, then.

She left us to meet Kira and Hitsugaya, the males carefully taking Gin, young Toshiro smiling up at his lieutenant; I looked back at Ichigo, the gate closing behind him, fading into nothing.

We stayed silent, my small hand clutching the dirty material of my robes, my slow beating heart beneath it, my other hand moving up to tuck my stray hair behind my ear.

The strand fell back in place between my eyes.

My violet gaze held with Ichigo's strong eyes before breaking away, my stomach knotting as I took his image in; his orange hair was at its tamest, grown out to reach his collar behind his neck, his ears nearly covered, his bangs practically covering his eyes and playing with his lashes.

His lashes, which only defined his handsome, amber eyes even more.

He was taller- this time, I knew he truly was. I followed his neck to his shoulder, finding a sleeveless, muscular arm, a thin, black chain wrapped around it with his black blade in hand.

It was then I noticed, that I couldn't _feel_ him.

I inhaled sharply, confused and panicked, the reassurance of his warm, strong reiatsu gone. _How could it be?_

I was struck silent when he suddenly appeared at my side, my chin slowly rising to look up at him, his eyes lightly shadowed by his bangs, looking down into mine.

Nii-sama had long left my side. Was I dreaming? Was I dreaming to not have felt him leave, to be feeling the way I do, for Ichigo to have suddenly moved beside me?

The breeze moved around us tightly as he raised his hand to my cheek, lightly grazing it before tucking my hair behind my ear, a smirk barely pulling at the corner of his lips.

I was able to breathe again when he slowly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, holding me close as he rested his head on my crown; but I still couldn't bring myself to move, so I simply rested my head against his chest, his heart beating steadily beneath my ear.

In that instance, for just that instance, I didn't need to feel his reiatsu anymore.

* * *

I sat on the couch against its arm with the television on a low volume, Yuzu resting on her side across the length of the cushions, her head resting in my lap.

Her breathing was steady as she slept peacefully. Two days since Aizen's defeat is nowhere near enough to lose this exhuastion of us all.

We matched in the black shorts and white v-neck we wore, Karin wearing the same clothing at the table back in the kitchen, a sports magazine in her hands, silent.

I gently stroked Yuzu's hair as I stared at the screen, her long hair running smoothly through my fingers, slipping out to fall on her shoulder.

I leaned my elbow on the armrest, digging my hand into my hair, holding my head up; I closed my eyes with a sigh.

It took everything I had not to jump and wake Yuzu when a hand with lightly calloused fingers grazed my arm, my reiatsu surprised and defensive before I opened my eyes and looked up, Ichigo's tall, silent form moving from my side to cross in front of me, making over to the other end of the couch by Yuzu's feet.

* * *

"_Ichigo… why-?"_

_He took a gentle, but firm, hold of my elbow, looking deep into my gaze._

"_Zangetsu changed me for the better, Rukia…."

* * *

_

I had left it at that.

I could no longer tell when Ichigo comes into the house or goes out for a run in the middle of the night.

I could no longer tell if he was angry or sad, content or amused without having to face him.

I hated it.

I watched him stand still a few seconds, his black sweats low on his slim hips, his torso bare; Ichigo gently grabbed Yuzu's ankles and moved them along the edge of the couch, his tall body carefully crawling on behind her, lying down on his side as he hugged his sister's sleeping form, his cheek resting against her soft skin along her shoulder.

His hair just barely managed to tease me through my shirt, my arm resting awkwardly between the space of his back and the cushions my back rested against.

Before I could think about it, my hand moved into his longer, orange mane, gently running my fingers through it, over and over again, as I had been with Yuzu; I could see his lashes close and stay still, his breathing matching his sister's.

My hand didn't feel awkward anymore.

* * *

Days have gone by.

I am sitting alone in the park, on a bench table with wood rough against my thin jeans, threatening to pierce through and leave me splinters.

I didn't care.

My skin was chilled in the late winter air, the morning sun barely reaching me with its warmth, my jacket close to my petite body; huffing, my warm breath rising into the cold air, I slowly swung my legs over the table's edge, my boots kicking the tall grass.

I felt ten decades leave me at the sudden voice behind me, relaxed and alluring; "Yuzu made lunch already, Rukia."

I looked over my shoulder to find Ichigo, a black coat lined with faux fur over a grey shirt, jeans and boots finishing his warm look.

I felt warmer myself.

I sighed, turning back to the view in front of me; "I should buy you a bell, Strawberry…."

I felt him step onto the table's bench, moving to my end of the table; I just didn't expect him to drop down beside me, flush against my body, my eyes jumping to his.

He was leaning on his hand, his shoulder behind mine, his chest and ribs against my arm, our thighs running along each other. Keeping my gaze with his, trying to ignore the sudden warmth rushing through my body, I watched his eyes narrow slightly, his amber gaze flicking between my eyes….

As if I were the one confusing him, making him wonder what's going through my mind and making him feel all these unfamiliar emotions, making him try to read my soul through my eyes.

I'll have you know, that it's not me.

He finally moved his lips to talk, his face close to mine, his warm breath on my skin; "What are you doing out here, all alone…?"

His voice was soft. It made me nervous and suspicious every time I used to hear him like this; I've been nervous and suspicious ever since the end of the war.

"I just needed fresh air, a little walk… why, Strawberry?" I raised an eyebrow, still holding his gaze; "Do I need your permission to leave the house?"

His eyes lost that slight narrow look, a flash of amusement within them, a smirk tugging at his lips. He slid off the table, our eyes still locked, both of us silent.

I nearly squealed when his hands moved onto my knees, pushing them apart, stepping closer to me, settling between my legs….

I was starting to get annoyed, with this habit of mine of losing my breath around him.

He stayed motionless for a few seconds, our cheeks fortunately reddened from the chill, eyes _still_ held with each other. I am a Kuchiki, and we are masters of the icy, unnerved stare; I refuse to break down under his handsome gaze.

He smirked, he smirked that gorgeous smirk of his; "Yeah, as a matter of fact you do, midget…."

I lightly fumed, parting my lips to scold him, and yell at him- but he cut me off with that soft voice again.

"Rukia… I still worry he will suddenly come out from the air, and take you…."

I was struck violently with shock. I almost tore my eyes from him, but I held strong, shakingly; "W-what?"

He was looking back and forth between my eyes again, his lips in a slight frown, the skin about his eyes creased a little from it; my reiatsu was bare for him to feel, while he gave off nothing of a slither of reiatsu.

I hate it. But not the way his lips moved as he spoke again.

"I… am not afraid of him coming back, and fighting me, and trying to take Karakura again… I will stand before him without a doubt- but I am still afraid, and always will be… of him _hurting_ those I _care about_, Rukia."

His hands were still on my knees; I know who he was talking about. I am not stupid.

What I don't know, is what he is feeling _exactly_. What made him tell me this? What is he feeling?

* * *

"_Rukia… I still worry he will suddenly come out from the air, and take you…."

* * *

_

Me. Worried Aizen will come back and take me.

Is it because I am like a sister? Or because….

The way he is looking at me with his longer hair and taller body, his amber eyes with dark lashes around them, means something else?

I hung my head, breaking our gaze. Nii-sama would be disappointed in me.

* * *

I couldn't take my eyes off Inoue.

We were all sitting together on the school's rooftop, our senior year's second semester starting in the early January days.

It's been months since we've actually been to school… I am afraid of knowing, just what Urahara did to make the entire school believe we've never been gone.

However- Inoue.

Inoue hasn't changed, really. She is still taller than me, still has a full figure, still has large breasts… I think it's the hair.

Her bangs used to part to both sides of her face. Now, it is swept to one side.

When did she start that? I noticed something else that didn't change about her; her longing, persistent stare on Ichigo.

I can't help but think his sudden change had the same affect on her as it did for me; I mean, Keigo can't get over it, and he's a male.

A male with a high, annoying voice; "It's just not fair! We've never had different hair styles, so you can't change it! Cut it to how it used to be!"

A low, breathy laugh left Ichigo's lips beside me, my eyes staying focused on my juice box clasped between my hands on my lap.

"Don't laugh at me, Ichigo!" "Oh, shut up already, Keigo, and leave Ichigo alone!"

They all talked and laughed, yelled and hushed; I remained fascinated by my juice, still unopened. I had to blink many times when I felt Ichigo's hand move onto mine in my lap, my eyes looking over to catch him sliding over on the ground, closer to me; "Ichigo-?"

"Don't tell me you forgot how to open it…." His amber eyes looking up at me for a short glimpse- much too short- he looked back to his hand on mine, his other hand reaching over to join them, grabbing the juice from my hold.

I watched his strong hand hold the juice box, the other piercing the straw through the top, his eyes on it, but hidden from my sight by his hair.

I wanted to bury my hands into his mane and tug on it, intertwining my fingers with it.

But, I won't let him know that. I do, however, want my juice.

He looked up at me as he moved his hand over to me, holding out the juice for me to take. I think I grazed his fingers with my softer ones on purpose; but let me not dwell on that.

Keigo and Tatsuki were still arguing when I took my juice back from his hand, a familiar smirk on his lips. I remembered the first time he opened a juice for me, a stupid smile pushing itself onto _my_ lips.

Chad was still silent, but laughing under his breath, when Ichigo didn't move back, away from me, away from my knee pressed against his.

Ishida was still shaking his head at the antics we all missed during the war when Ichigo kept his amber stare on me, even as I turned my gaze onto my lap, drinking my juice.

Of all the times to be able to keep my attention off Inoue, I chose now. She wasn't still looking at Ichigo, but rather, she was now looking at _us._

I was in my own world, where Ichigo didn't take his eyes off me, and I imagined running my hands through his hair, down his neck to his shoulder, down his arm to his hand.

I brought out another juice box for him to open.

* * *

It's been nearly two months. I sat inside my closet in Ichigo's room, wrapped in his blanket, the closet door open to look out the window into the grey skies.

I've had my own room since before the war. I just… I missed the comfort of his closet, of being in his room. I never had the memory of his warm blanket or scent in its threads to miss, but I will tonight.

His door suddenly creaked open around the closet's corner. I growled when I saw him walk into the room towards his bed, realizing he had opened it and stepped through before I could even tell- that creak was him closing it.

I hated how I couldn't feel him anymore. I was starting to get angry at _Zangetsu.

* * *

_

"_Zangetsu changed me for the better, Rukia…."

* * *

_

He tossed his book onto the bed, his body in sweats and a t-shirt, his white socks showing beneath his black pants; he looked over to me in the closet, a small smile on his lips, looking at me from beneath that hair of his, taller.

I was in awe when I realized his hair rested past his eyes, but naturally parted itself to rest between his eyes mainly, and around them, just like mine.

I think my hair is prettier.

"Warm, midget?" He swung his arms up to cross behind his head, his shirt exposing a little bit of skin, his head leaned back a bit, cocked slightly to the side as he stared me.

Stared at me from behind that tempting mane of his, joined by his tempting body.

I was going insane, alright.

I simply nodded, afraid I would squeak if I tried to talk. He dropped his hands from behind his head, walking over to me. I was certain he was going to snatch the blanket away.

Worst case scenario, shove himself in here with me and make me share.

He came up with one to top either of them, and every scenario in between- he snatched _me_ away, blanket and all. I immediately kicked and screamed, Ichigo cradling me in his arms, my own arms stuck within the blanket around me; "Ichigo! Put me down, Ichigo! _Put me down!_"

As always, he didn't listen to me. He walked us over to his bed, carrying me as if I were a feather, my kicking and squirming hardly noticed by him.

Wordlessly, his eyes hidden from me, he dropped me onto his bed, my petite body bouncing a bit from the fall.

I couldn't tell what he was feeling, neither from his hidden eyes or his reiatsu now gone.

I hated it, and I was starting to become angry at Zangetsu.

I hurriedly untangled myself from the blanket, cussing the cuss out of him, shoving the balled up blanket into his abdomen as I tried to find my balance between a foot on the floor and the other on the mattress, making to move off the bed, and storm out of the room just to prove my irritation.

His arm quickly wrapped around me before I could step past him, gently but firmly- and I could tell he held back his strength- pushing me back onto the mattress, his body following and seemingly ready to crush me underneath him.

He held himself up on his knees, his arms on either side of my neck, the blanket balled up between us.

I was struggling to breathe.

"I-Ichi-?" My violet eyes locked with his, his gaze relaxed, not a sign of his once-famous scowls with furrowed eyebrows.

"Well, you're not the only one cold, _midget_." He smirked down at me, moving back onto his knees, grabbing the blanket off my flat stomach; shaking out the blanket, the large, rectangular scrap of incredibly warm material hovering above me for a second, before coming down on me, Ichigo dropped onto the mattress beside me, pulling the blanket over us.

I stayed on my back, shivering lightly, Ichigo resting on his side facing me, warmth radiating off from him. I turned my head to look at him, his amber eyes staring at me, his arm bent beneath his head as a pillow, the other between his abdomen and my side.

I struggled to breathe again when he slowly crossed his hand to other side of my hip, pulling me towards him, lifting my hips up to turn me onto my side as he slid me over, my body moving to his desire.

Pressed against his warm body, his arm around my waist, I stayed quiet and motionless, shuddering as I closed my eyes, my whole mind and body focused on the male behind me.

I knew he could feel my body shuddering at his touch, my reiatsu hitching and dropping wildly, my skin chilled before warmed by his body; he nuzzled my shoulder, resting his forehead on the back of it.

I hated how I couldn't tell what he was feeling. I was angry at Zangetsu.

* * *

My hurried feet splashed in the puddles, my arms pumping, my sheathed zanpaktou at my side, my hair heavy and soaked from the pouring rain.

I struggled to breathe in the freezing air rushing through my nose, through my mouth and lungs, my chest heaving, my panting shallow; I listened for Yuzu in the dark, raining night, my eyes desperately looking for her.

She had been gone for hours.

"_Yuzu!_" I screamed into the night, knowing she wouldn't hear me, knowing she wouldn't see me.

I had to find her.

I couldn't tell where Ichigo was. He had left the house since early morning today, and hadn't shown up since.

He could have already found her, for all I know… but I have a painful ache in my chest, telling me _find her._

I don't know where he is, if he knows Yuzu is gone, if he knows his father is gone again on business, if he himself is well.

I don't know, and I am angry at Zangetsu.

A piercing scream steals my mind, my feet immediately stepping into shunpo, following the scream into the night.

* * *

I skid to a halt before the immense Hollow in the street, Yuzu cowering on the wet ground against a wall, blood on her skin, large bruises around her jaw and neck.

I was furious.

I blocked the sudden strike from the Hollow, surprised at its speed, surprised at its strength. Pushing his claws off my blade, I pulled my zanpaktou back to move at the Hollow and strike into it- but another limb burst through its skin and came around at me, tearing into my side, knocking my blade far from my hands.

Nii-sama would be disappointed in me.

It pulled its claw out from me, the Hollow roaring up into the sky; I managed to stumble over to Yuzu, clutching my bleeding side, dropping down onto my knees beside her; "Yuzu! _Yuzu, get away! Get away-!_"

I stood back up, trying to pull her with me, forcing her onto her feet. She was panicking, unable to see me, only feel me.

I heard the Hollow storm over to us, Yuzu screaming out in fear as the pavement broke apart with every step it took, coming towards her, coming towards _us_….

I threw myself onto her, my arms clutching her close to me, turning her away from the Hollow onto the wall, my back to the Hollow-

A large crack echoed in the night, my eyes slowly turning over my shoulder as the hit never came down on us, my gaze finding black robes, following it up to see Ichigo, holding back the Hollow's cracked claws with his bare arm.

He turned from the Hollow, looking down at me, Yuzu trembling in my arms; his hair was heavy and close to his face, his eyes barely visible beneath his bangs. He frowned at me, his eyes holding an emotion I couldn't understand.

He was just a breath away from us, looking down at us, his arm holding the Hollow away from us.

Turning his eyes back onto the Hollow, Ichigo hardly shoved it off before it went crashing back down onto the pavement, my eyes still where he had stood when he moved with a terrifying speed at the Hollow, coming up at its mask, punching a bare fist through the mask.

A piercing cry leaving the Hollow, it disappeared as it trashed about, Ichigo standing back, his back to us.

Feeling Yuzu's body go limp, I held her up closely, hissing at the pain on my side, staggering dangerously on my feet.

I was about to turn to him when Ichigo suddenly grabbed my wrists, pulling them apart from their embrace around Yuzu; he took her from my arms, looking at me with an expression I couldn't understand, silent and unmoving in the rain.

Without a word, he disappeared from my sight, leaving me behind, my bleeding body falling against the wall of the building.

I had lost a lot of blood before, but I had never felt as if I had been left to die before.

I couldn't feel what he was thinking, couldn't see what he was feeling. I just don't know.

I hate Zangetsu for the change he made in Ichigo.

I fainted into blackness.

* * *

I woke up to the feel of rain slowly dripping onto my skin, my eyes looking up into the intertwining branches above me, rain drops sneaking through the many leaves; I felt a strong, but gentle embrace around me, closing my eyes as I moved my head to rest against the muscled warmth beside me, opening them again as I looked up- Ichigo's amber eyes staring down at me.

He was standing beneath a large tree, cradling me in his arms, holding me closely against him, speaking in that damn voice of his; "I took Yuzu to Urahara's, with Karin there for her… he healed her as I came back…."

I can never tell his intentions anymore. I can never tell where he goes. When he leaves me, and when he doesn't.

I glared at him; "Let go of me…."

He frowned, his brows furrowed deeply, staring at me with confusion. Finally, something I _know_.

"What the hell are you-?"

"_Let me down!_" I slammed my small fist against him, my bones aching from the impact, not a slither of a flinch from Ichigo.

"Damn it, Rukia! Inoue just barely healed you, but not your reiatsu-!"

Inoue? She was with us, out in the rain? Where are we now, and why couldn't she recover my reiatsu? What is he thinking?

"The fuck do you know about reiatsu, Ichigo!" I elbowed his chest this time, Ichigo hesitantly letting me push out from his hold, my aching elbow proof he didn't let me down because of _pain_; all pain I could have given him was backfired thrice as strong at me.

It fuckin' hurts.

I stumbled a bit once he let me go, but I aimed to fall against the tree, managing to hold steady, panting and shivering.

Pathetic. She really didn't recover my reiatsu. What was so urgent that she couldn't-?

"What do you mean, Rukia…?" Ichigo's voice sent a violent chill through me, his soaked body behind me, so close behind me, his hot breath grazing my ear.

I clenched my fists, closing my eyes, searching for his reiatsu; his reiatsu I used to fall asleep to, his reiatsu that would engulf me when we fought side by side.

It was still gone.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, silent sobs shaking my shoulders, my hands clutching at my robes.

I felt weak and useless, weak and vulnerable, standing there, crying.

Whatever happened to Kuchiki Rukia, the heartless, tearless bitch everyone assumed me to be in Soul Society?

She had changed every time Ichigo did.

"_Rukia…._" His hands grabbed my arms, his tall body pressed against me, drops of water falling on me from his hair and my own, my tears only brimming my eyes now.

I can't let them fall again. I just can't.

"I _hate_ him, Ichigo!" I pulled away from him, turning to look at him, my lips in a frown, my eyes desperately lost with me; he was looking at me in a way I couldn't understand.

Of course I couldn't.

Ichigo frowned at me, lightly shaking his head, almost as if he were afraid to move; "Rukia, if this is what I said back then about Aizen-?"

"Zangetsu, Ichigo- _Zangetsu!_"

Shock filled his eyes, his lips in a tight line. Confusion, shock; will this become all I can ever understand from him, now?

He carefully stepped towards me, a hand out between us, slowly reaching for me.

As if I even have my zanpaktou to hurt him. It hung from his sash, his large cleaver like blade across his back. He, Ichigo, who gave his reiatsu away, _traded_ it for raw, physical strength, just before he defeated Aizen….

Just after he fought Zangetsu… _Tensa_ Zangetsu.

As if I could ever hurt him.

* * *

Ichigo's fingers touched my arm lightly, waiting for me to pull away, waiting for a sign that I could turn against him.

I didn't; so, he moved his hand to hold my own.

I wanted to let my tears fall.

"Rukia, I don't understand you…." Doesn't understand me, he says. If he could know how lost I've been around him; "Rukia… how could you…?"

I looked up to find his eyes, his body stepping closer to me, drops of water falling onto my cheeks from his hair and the leaves above us.

My eyes became strained, brimmed with tears, my hand shaking furiously in his as I whispered.

"_I can't feel you, anymore, Ichigo."_

Silence.

Nothing but the heavy downpour beyond our shelter beneath the tree; nothing at all from him.

I closed my eyes, dropping my head- but his warm, slightly rough hand cupped my jaw gently, raising it in his hand to look back up at him, his amber eyes looking at me from beneath his orange bangs, his mane I just wanted to run my fingers through, over and over again.

"Rukia…." I closed my eyes, my tears still not falling.

Nii-sama would be-

Ichigo's voice. His voice I always loved was back; "_Then just _feel_ me."_

His hand let go of mine to bury itself into my black, wet tresses, his hand caressing my jaw, tilting it up to meet him; to meet his sinful lips.

A single tear fell.

* * *

My breath hitched at the feel of his fairly rough lips against my softer ones; _fairly rough_ doesn't do him justice. It was an indescribable feel, his lips. Soft, but not. Rough, but not. Simply indescribable.

An indescribable feeling I was familiar with, one to burn deep within my stomach around him, one to put me at ease all the while putting me on edge.

It was precious.

He kept my lips against his, his thumb stroking my skin along my jaw, his feet stepping closer to me, his hand pulling me closer to him.

He pulled away, nuzzling my cheek, coaxing me to open my violet eyes. I met his amber gaze, and I knew he felt that same feeling I did. I knew he would protect me with those strong, gentle hands of his.

I finally moved, running my hands up his chest to his neck, running them up his neck into his hair, burying them into it, tangling my fingers within it; I pulled him down, pulled his taller form down as I moved to the tips of my toes, and we met again, my lower lip caught between his.

We suckled lightly on each other's lips, his lips pressing back against mine, his warm, moist tongue pushing out to trace my bottom lip. I parted my lips for him, Ichigo slipping past them with his tongue, pushing against my own.

We moaned lightly at our first taste of each other, our tongues moving slowly against each other, my hands fisting themselves around his soft hair, his hand gripping the back of my neck.

We pulled apart with a gasp from my lips, his hands keeping me close, our mouths ghosting over one another, catching our breaths.

"Ichigo…."

"You stopped the rain in my heart, Rukia…." He pressed our foreheads together, our eyes shut, our lips hovering over each other; "You stopped the rain in Zangetsu's _home_, Rukia; he would never do anything, to hurt you."

I struggled to inhale, his words reaching me as his reiatsu used to crawl over me, his heart loud to me as his reiatsu once was.

"Just feel my heart, Rukia, and you can always find my reiatsu there…."

His hand left my jaw, running down my neck, running over my breast to my hips, running down to cup the curve between my end and my thigh, lifting me up to hook my legs on his hips; my hands stroked his hair, his mane wet, but still soft between my fingers.

Opening our eyes, staring into one another, Ichigo pressed his lips against mine again, one of my hands relinquishing my hold of his longer hair to run down to his chest, under the folds of his robe- pressing my palm against his heart beating securely beneath his muscles.

Pushing off his lips, I moved mine to kiss the corner of his gently, my mouth moving up and against his temple; "_Let me _feel _you."

* * *

_

He was in his hakama when he pulled me to sit up on his lap, my hands holding onto his bare torso as he pulled at my sash, cussing our uniform to hell and back so that he could tear it to shreds, his large hands capable of doing so this very second.

He managed to loosen them enough to pull over my curved, but slim hips, my breath heavy and anxious as Ichigo removed me of my clothing below my waist, my own hands sliding off my robes, exposing my modest chest to him.

I made to move back onto his bed in his dark room lit by the moonlight pouring through, the sky clear and clean after the storm, but he kept me on his lap, my legs straddling him, his arousal pressing against me between my legs.

His mouth moved onto mine as his hands explored my bare body, his warm touch arousing my skin, seducing my body just as the roll of his hips against me, a moan leaving me before I could bite it back.

I needed to make Ichigo moan for me.

Moving off his lap onto my knees, his protest was evident in his sudden pull from my lips, his hands lightly pushing down on my hips; I grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling myself up further as I dipped his head, pushing his mouth onto my breast, my teeth biting at my tongue to hold my moan back, his mouth taking me in-

His moan loud and humming against my modest mound, his hands grabbing my hips, pulling me down onto his clothed erection, bucking up against me.

Gasping, I let Ichigo move us back onto the bed, his teeth nipping and pulling at my breast as he suckled on it, his hands roaming over my body, arching my back to press myself against him, sweat building up between us.

My hand still buried in his mane, I grabbed onto his gripping my hip, guiding it between my legs, unable to hold back my moan as he bit down on my hardened nipple as he pressed his thumb against my aching clitoris, his mid finger caressing between my labia.

I pulled on his hair as I grabbed onto his hand caressing me between my legs, his mouth leaving my breast, a low growl leaving my lips as he stared down at me from behind his bangs, both of us panting, both of us moaning as I pulled him to capture my lips, my hand pressing his hand further down to tease my wet core.

Tongues massaging each other, Ichigo's finger slipping inside of me as we moaned together, I let go his hand and hair, blindly reaching my hands to loosen his sash, my hands back in his hair as I locked my long legs around him; biting down on his lip, I pushed his hips against me, my legs pushing his hakama down, a wild buck from his hips pounding against me, our skin glistening and warm with sweat.

Moans stumbled from our mouths as we pressed our hips together, his hand pushing further into me, a cry leaving me; feeling his cocky grin against my lips, I ran a hand down to his chest, pushing up against him, rolling us onto his back.

"Ru-!" I cut him off with my tongue pushing past his lips into his hot mouth, my male beneath me letting me stroke his tongue, push against him, his hand working me further to my peak, my hands moving to his hair.

Biting his tongue, pulling his hair as I pulled his hand from within me, I sat back up against his throbbing erection beneath his hakama, my fingers curling around its hem; lifting my hips, I pulled his clothing off, his erection bare to me.

My core wanting and throbbing between my wet thighs, I quickly tugged on his erection before grabbing his hair again, his growl exciting me further as I pulled on his mane, making him turn us over, his taller body over me, between my legs.

Leaning up on my arms, I pressed my mouth against his, Ichigo's tongue controlling mine, his mouth taking in my moans; his hand was holding him up, his other gripping my hip tightly, sure to bruise-

Ichigo lifted my hips off the mattress, pushing his hips against my spread legs, burying his member into me.

"_A-Ah-!" _He thrust into me immediately, my legs tight around his waist, my hips rolling to meet his thrusts full on; "Ru-kia….:

I silenced him with a deep kiss, my fingers tangled in his hair, his hips steadily pounding against me, into me, our panting heavy and shallow, moans loud within the darkened room; "_Harder, Ichi-go…."_

His hips moved faster into me, my curved end fitting perfectly against his pelvis pushing into me, his sex inside me hitting me harder and harder, my words incoherent and interrupted by gasps, his powerful body taking me; _his powerful body._

Ichigo could easily hurt me.

We moaned into each other, his hand holding me in place, my hand tugging on his sweaty hair.

Ichigo could easily kill me, his strength the same as the strength he held to defeat Aizen.

He shifted his knees, sitting back on his legs beneath him as he moved his hand to my thigh, his other still keeping me in place; pushing my thigh further out, he paused for a split second to change his angle before continuing to make me cry out, my wet walls around his member pulsing shortly and tighly as he drove me closer to my climax.

Ichigo could easily break me, pounding into me, gripping my hips tightly; he won't though.

He would never hurt me on purpose. He could never bring himself to hurt me as I could never do to him.

My arm giving out behind me, my back falling back onto the mattress, my breasts moving with every movement he made into me, I let Ichigo finish himself off inside me, his release triggering my own, both our bodies paralyzed with the intense pleasure exploding within us, our cries mixed together in the hot air around us.

He nearly dropped onto me, his arm shooting out to hold himself above me, my smaller body trembling and panting beneath him, covered in his scent with my own. Releasing my hip to tangle my hair around his fingers, Ichigo pulled back on my hair to expose my neck, his lips on my pulse, biting and licking, nipping and suckling.

I moaned lightly, stroking his hair, pressing our hips together as he still remained inside me, his moan vibrating against my pulse at the roll of my hips against him.

Biting down one last time, Ichigo pulled away from my neck to rest off to the side, dropping his body down beside me, my leg around his hips.

I could feel my neck burn in such an erotic pain, knowing Ichigo marked me as his, his arm circling around my back to hold me close.

Our chests together, our hearts beating calmly minutes later; we lay together, me in his strong arms, my hand on his chest, his heart beating beneath it, my other stroking his hair.

He nuzzled my crown, kissing it softly; "Do you feel me, Rukia?"

Closing my eyes, his warmth surrounding me, his scent engulfing me, his heart beating against my palm-

"Yes, Ichigo…." Opening my eyes, I looked up for him to look down into me, amber locked with violet.

He was different.

* * *

_Thank you_, Tensa Zangetsu… _Zangetsu_….

* * *

I suck at tenses. Ichigo looks fine and handsome. I need to get back to studying.

I hope you enjoyed.

Much love, KurosakiLove


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